THE PHARCYDE’s – “Runnin” (Prod. By J Dilla) Has Latin Roots. LISA FORD’S Ipod Pick

The Pharcyde – Runnin’

The haunting and subdued hook from Runnin’ includes a  sample from a momentous latin jazz album titled, Saudade Vem Correndo by Stan Getz ( off his Jazz Samba Encore! album 1963). J. Dilla, the producer on Labcabincalifornia, was known for having a massive collection of 60’s-70’s jazz vinyls and Runnin’ is an example of how far this music historian traveled to create magic.  I’ve included the video for The Pharcyde’s Runnin’ and of Saudade Vem Correndo (below), for a side by side comparison. Witness the birth of an iconic hip hop song.

Stan Getz – Saudade Vem Correndo. Check it out at 1:22 to here the sample. It’s breathtaking.

Runnin’ is also featured in The Pharcyde’s greatest hits compilation Cydeways: The Best of The Pharcyde. Follow me on twitter @lisafordblog

I’ts 1995,

And now that I’m older,stress weighs on my shoulders
Heavy as boulders but I told y’all
Until the day that I die I still
Will be a soldier and that’s all I told ya
And that’s all I showed ya
And all this calamity is rippin’ my sanity
Can it be that I am a celebrity
Who’s on the brink of insanity
Now don’t be wishin’ of switchin’ any positions with me
Cause when you in my position, it ain’t never easy
To do any type of maintainin’
Cause all this gamin’ and famin’ from entertainin’
Is hella strainin’ to the brain and
But I can’t keep runnin’ I just gotta keep keen and cunnin’

Knumbskull from the Pharcyde